Return of economic activity

From the Governing Board of the College of Industrial Technical Engineers of Tarragona, we want to express our satisfaction to have entered Phase 2 and be at the gates of Phase 3 of the escalation of the pandemic, and we believe that it is the moment, first of all, to express our feelings for the thousands of lives that COVID-19 has taken; as well as expressing our solidarity with the relatives who have suffered the anguish and sadness of not being able to say goodbye to them.

To those who still suffer the consequences, I wish them a speedy recovery; and finally to encourage everyone to follow the recommendations of the health authorities so that they can return to normal as soon as possible.

We must also acknowledge all the people and professionals who, putting their integrity and that of their families at risk, are struggling to save the lives of so many people. Their discipline, courage and determination are admirable and from here we want to express our gratitude and admiration to them. As well as for all those people who with their discreet but efficient activity are getting that the basic services of the population are guaranteed. And wish that the people of science and research find as soon as possible the most effective remedies to combat this pandemic, its sequelae and its prevention.

We previously expressed our desire to return to normalcy. We know that it will not be easy and that possibly nothing will be the same again; but as a society we are obliged to devote all our efforts to trying to immediately implement mechanisms that ensure that everyone sees their vital needs covered, thus ensuring the progress of all.

But if there is one thing we have learned, it is that the computer media we have allows us to communicate quickly and smoothly, despite the distance. Engineers Tarragona already in the year 2008, we designed our own system of Telematic Visa, and this, together with the videoconferences, goes implying an increase of the productivity of our collegiate.

The second challenge is the scenario of economic recovery. Our discipline and our professionals have always been socially committed to this purpose, and obviously it will not be now, when more is needed, for everyone to contribute the best of themselves, that we will give up playing a key role in this goal. Effort, dedication and perseverance will all be there, but this determination must be accompanied by complementary tools that not only make it possible, but also facilitate it.

We now have the opportunity for our Administrations to facilitate management and empathize with those who request it. The first of the measures must necessarily be to speed up procedures and administrative management in procedures. It is possible to guarantee the performance and control of legality by simplifying processes without losing a thread of security, nor does the control lose its effectiveness. A good example is the announcement by the Minister of Territory and Sustainability, Damià Calvet, to approve a law to speed up urban and environmental procedures, stating that the situation requires a simplification of procedures, but not content. And that we give you our full support.

It is essential to find this understanding in a new stage of social commitment; and the Administrations, especially the local ones, have the key to it. In order to deal with the return of economic activity, it is necessary to facilitate the immediate start-up of the files in process. It is to be hoped that this fact will be one of the priority objectives of the Administrations during this long period of economic paralysis.

And in this same sense, it is necessary to give legal protection to this inescapable challenge of the future; therefore, it is also essential to arbitrate the legal mechanisms that prevent the processing of files from being delayed, which are vital to guarantee recovery. This telematic scenario that has inadvertently emerged, we understand that it must be the solution to speed up the procedures, and that the Administration applies the same response time that the administrator has towards it.

It is now, therefore, time for the Administrations to be an example of this effort and dedication, not only of financial resources, but the need for them to assume once and for all that their role is to offer the citizen the collaboration in the solution of the problems posed and that together we must solve.

We are convinced that with the responsibility of all it is possible to restore normalcy, as long as agility, sustainability, progress and social balance are guaranteed.

We will be there, we demand that the Administrations be there too.

Anton Escarré Dean of the College of Industrial Technical Engineers of Tarragona

Tarragona, 26 May 2020